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Students started their first full week of school of the 2024–25 academic year with excitement and high energy, following Curriculum Night, which was a wonderful evening where families met with advisers and faculty, following their child’s timetable and connecting with one another. The next opportunity for Years 8–12 families to be on campus together in an academic realm will be Nov. 13 when we welcome you for three-way conferences.

The opening Board of Stewards assembly took place on Friday where they engaged in a game of Jeopardy that tested their knowledge of themes like school traditions and house history. The community also took part in their first rendition of "Never Walk Alone", welcoming all new students into the fold.

On Monday, Year 8 students journeyed to Norval for a three-night, four-day adventure with their House, where they will participate in a range of activities focused on building bonds, skills and connection. The week also opened with a Principal’s Assembly on community and wellbeing, where students heard powerful messages from Dr. Aitken on the importance of hope, from Ms. Dobie on the strength of a positive mindset, and from the Wellbeing Steward on adapting to change.

This week’s Student and Principal’s Assembly 

On Friday, Sept. 6  in community time, the Upper School experienced its opening Student Assembly, led by the Creativity Steward, Max Jones. Mr. Mac opened with a real and pretend list of rules to be followed in Laidlaw Hall, which transitioned into a rousing game of Jeopardy between Stewards and Heads of Houses where they tested their knowledge of Mr. Mac, school customs, student personalities, and house history. Year 8s and all new students experienced their first singing of “Never Walk Alone,” and Mr. Bauld introduced the exciting year of theatre ahead.

In Monday’s Principal’s Assembly, the theme was building positive culture. Dr. Aitken delivered a moving message about the importance of hope, with a few key takeaways:

“Hope isn’t just a word or feeling or a wish. Hope resides within us, yes, but the kind of hope I'm talking about is active; the sense that we can take action. The power of hope starts with mindset and manifests itself in ways that activate our body, and this happens because thoughts, feelings and beliefs are all so powerful they can actually shape outcomes!”

Ms. Dobie, our tremendous school counsellor, spoke about the importance of having a “beginner's mind,” which — among many things:

“can help us overcome procrastination by approaching tasks with a sense of curiosity and openness rather than expectations and assumptions about how we will feel when we start a task. A beginner’s mind is not seeking perfection, it is a humble approach that understands there is much we don’t know and much more to learn.”

Wellbeing Steward Charlie Walsh closed the assembly with his own reflections on a time in his life when he leaned into having a flexible mindset to positively adapt to change. The message was a powerful one for the community to hear, and he modelled openness and courage by sharing his story.

Years 9, 10 and 11 | Week Without Bells trip information and permission forms

Brent Evans (Norval) and ALIVE Outdoors have provided the below video recordings for the Week Without Bells trips. Parents are encouraged to watch the video and presentation with their child to learn more detailed information about the trips.

Year 9 Trip information video

Years 10 and 11 Trip ALIVE video presentation

Please note: Years 10 and 11 permission forms were sent out via BlueNet. This form includes an ALIVE Outdoors letter to parents, a risk, waiver and indemnity agreement, and a student health information form. The form can be found by clicking on the yellow “Forms” banner across the top of your BlueNet account or by going to the "Files and Forms" section of BlueNet

Please complete the forms no later than next Friday, Sept. 20. Year 9 permission forms for Camp Olympia will be sent out next week.

Quick Facts:

Year 9
Camp Location: Olympia Sports Camp
Departing: UCC Campus on Monday, Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m.
Drop off at the front of the Upper School
Return: Thursday, Oct. 10 between 3 and 3:30 p.m.

Packing List

Year 10
Camp Location: Camp Pine Crest
Departing: UCC Campus on Monday, Oct. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
Drop off at the front of the Upper School
Return: Thursday, Oct. 10 between 2:30 and 3 p.m.
ALIVE 2024 In Camp Packing List

Year 11
Camp Location: Camp Wanakita
Departing: UCC Campus on Monday, Oct. 7 at 9 a.m.
Drop off at the front of the Upper School
Return: Thursday, Oct. 10 between 3 and 3:30 p.m.
ALIVE 2024 In Camp Packing List

Year 8 and Year 12 programming will occur on and around campus. 

Reminder: Please note that there will be no alternative programming on campus for Years 9–11 during the trips as the majority of Faculty will be trip supervisors away at camps or will be facilitating the Year 8 and Year 12 programs.

Terry Fox at UCC 2024

Auditions in co-curricular theatre

A master Club sign up sheet has been developed with 70+ clubs listed for the fall! A direct link to the form will be printed and posted throughout the Student Centre.

Each student has three choices.

Join UCC's rowing program | Information night on Sept. 17

Upper Canada College's rowing team will be hosting an information session on Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 6:30 –8 p.m. at the Foster Hewitt Foundation Lounge in the Wilder Arena. All athletes and families interested in learning more about joining the rowing program at UCC are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

Event Recap | Parent information evening recordings 

MYP (Sept. 10, 2024)

Years 8, 9, 10
Please click here to view the presentation
Please click here to watch the recording

DP (Sept. 11, 2024)

Year 11
Please click here to view the presentation
Please click here to watch the recording. Due to technical issues, we could only record the first 30 minutes of the meeting. Please look at the presentation slides and do not hesitate to reach out to any of the individuals on slide two if you have any questions we can help you with. 

Year 12
Please click here to view the presentation
Please click here to watch the recording

Get Your Tickets to see Dr. David Suzuki and Dr. Tara Cullis at UCC

As members of the UCC community, you are invited to come see "What We Won't Do For Love," a stage play with Dr. David Suzuki, Dr. Tara Cullis and members of Why Not Theatre. This group will be in residence at UCC for the week of Sept. 23, and we will be hosting public performances of the play on Sept. 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available on the Eventbrite Webpage. 

All Year 12 students will get a chance to see the show, as will several drama classes, but this is your chance to get a ticket to this momentous artistic and scientific collaboration.

Tickets are going fast, get them while you can.

Years 9–12 | March Break 2025 China trip for Mandarin students

We are thrilled to announce that we have planned a 2-week China trip during the March break of 2025 for our Mandarin students from Year 9 to Year 12. We will spend one week in Taipei, Taiwan and another week in Hangzhou, Mainland China, for language and culture learning. Click here for the itinerary.

We believe this exclusive trip will allow a first-hand exposure to traditional and modern Chinese ways of living, speaking, and thinking. It will also give students valuable real-life experience of customs in using both the traditional characters and simplified ones. The intensive language learning, enriched activities, and selective sightseeing will help the students gain a more profound appreciation for the diversity of Chinese languages and cultures.

Our tour operator is G-Hardy, UCC's long-term educational/service trip partner, and we are very grateful to let you know that the expenses for the second week will be generously covered by the university in which we will be staying. 

If you are interested in this trip, please add your name to this Pre-registration Google Form so that we can provide the travel agency with an estimated number of participants. If you have any questions or would like to know more about the trip, please come to our trip information night on Sept. 30 from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meeting location will be provided once confirmed.

Looking forward to an exciting and enriching experience for our students!

UCC puffer jacket and vests | Brought to you by the PPO and PO

Get ready for the fall season ahead with the UCC Crested Puffer Jacket and Puffer Vest! Both styles feature the UCC crest on the left chest pocket and are made of 100% polyester for durability and water resistance.

Puffer Jackets are available in Youth and Adult sizes, featuring a removable snap hood and elastic cuffs for a snug fit for $110. 

Puffer Vests are available in Adult sizes only for $70. Perfect for layering on chilly days.

Order yours now! The deadline for ordering is Sept. 25. Click here for more details and to order.

Register | Parent Coffee Mornings in September

The Parents’ Organization is once again hosting Parent Year Level Coffee Mornings!  

Please join us from 8:30–10 a.m. in the second-floor lounge of Wilder Arena for some coffee/tea/snacks and catch up with or meet new parents in your son’s year. Please RSVP in the links below.  

• Year 8:  Friday, Sept. 27

• Year 10:  Monday, Sept. 16

• Year 11: Friday, Sept. 13

Holocaust Education trip to Poland | March Break 2025 for Years 10–12 

We are excited to announce that UCC in conjunction with G-Hardy Tours, will be offering our fourth Holocaust Education trip to Poland in March 2025. 

The trip will run for the first week of March break, visiting the cities of Warsaw, Lublin, and Krakow. Students will have the opportunity to visit many important Holocaust sites, including, but not limited to: Treblinka, Tykocin, Majdanek, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. 

Ms. Rachel Metalin, a former Upper School English teacher who is trained at the sites, will be the lead educator on the trip complemented by other professional guides in Poland. 

The trip will be available for students in Years 10–12, however, Year 9 students will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The trip is non-denominational and open to all students in those grade levels interested in learning about this time in history and the lasting impact it continues to have today.

Informational sessions will be held via Zoom on Sept. 24 from 7–8 p.m., however, if you have an immediate question, please contact Rachel Metalin.

Discover Costa Rica | March Break 2025 with Camps International

A UCC Upper School Global Learning Adventure 

A virtual parent information session is on Sept. 25 from 7–8 p.m. Please click here to join the meeting.

Plan for it now! This upcoming March Break, we will once again offer an overseas Experiential Learning Trip to all upper school students. UCC is partnering with Explorica & Camps International to offer a service-focused experience in Costa Rica from March 16–25, 2025.

Students will receive 30 hours of service recognition for participating in the activities on the trip, as well as have the chance to see some of the many highlights that Costa Rica has to offer, including a visit to Monteverde with a stop at Volcano National Park along the way.

This trip meets the requirements of a Duke of Edinburgh's International Silver Award Qualifying Journey.

Also of note: UCC will be partnering with BSS on for pre-departure and post-trip seminars specifically for this trip next school year.

Spaces are available for 12 students. Registration is now open at this link. 

Click here to access a detailed itinerary and information about costs.

Peru Amazon Scientific Research Expedition | March Break 2025 with Operation Wallacea

Please follow this link for a detailed description of the expedition.

We are providing our students the incredible opportunity to spend one week with international professional scientists to conduct hands-on wildlife conservation and climate change science research with Operation Wallacea. Operation Wallacea (Opwall) is a network of academics from European and North American universities, who design and implement biodiversity and wildlife conservation management research expeditions. 

Opwall will provide students with the opportunity to apply aspects of their high school material in the field in Peru during March Break 2025! This school expedition offers students opportunities to meet other high schools and to network with professional environmental and wildlife conservation scientists, participate in real-world scientific fieldwork research projects, and be trained as research assistants.  

Having said this, students need not be studying science to attend. We encourage all current students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to join!  

We invite parents and students to attend a 45-minute virtual presentation about this school expedition to Peru on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. Join the meeting.